Ashley Walters has taken a swipe at London Hughes over her criticism of Top Boy, claiming the comedian wanted a role on the show.
The British crime series has been revived by Netflix for a third series following support from Canadian rapper Drake, which sees Ashley Walters reprise his role as Dushane alongside Kane Robinson’s Sully.
Since the show was renewed, comedian London Hughes posted a tweet criticising Top Boy, believing it reinforces negative black stereotypes.
When the criticism was raised on Good Morning Britain with hosts Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard, Ashley said: ‘There’s a lot of negative things which happen in the show we’re not trying to lie about that, that’s the beauty of Top Boy, it’s unapologetic.
‘What we’re trying to do is give you a slice of life of this particular area and what these people go through. Hopefully we give you reasons why, and what that’s meant to do is create debate. It’s meant to get us talking the way we’re talking now.
‘And that’s the only way we’re going to move forward with everything that’s going on.’
He added: ‘I mean London [Hughes] she wanted to be in the show so… that’s probably why she tweeted something like that.
‘She didn’t get through the casting process on it.’
London has since denied she auditioned for the show in a series of tweets in response, writing: ‘LMAOOOOO!!!! @AshleyWalters82 let’s not do this, don’t like about me on national tv please….. Don’t try and make me look stupid when you totally know where I’m coming from.
‘You and Noel Clarke even said the same thing as me when receiving backlash whilst promoting #Bulletproof.
‘I can’t believe he formed his lying tongue to say I tried to audition for #Topboy and didn’t get a part?!!! He’s lucky I’m feeling myself today and my chakra’s are all cleansed so I’m finding this whole exchange quite funny.’
In her original tweet, London wrote: ‘Ugh why did Drake decide to bring back #TopBoy… if there’s one show Black Britain doesn’t need back, it’s that!
‘Oooh gangs, drugs, guns, baby-mums! I’m sick of repeatedly seeing negative black stereotypes blown up on the big screen… Why couldn’t he bring back Desmond’s?!’
She added: ‘Black British culture is not just one way, there’s more to us than grime and gangs and knife crime… just wish it wasn’t always the same old story being told.. I’m over it, myself and many many black Britons can’t relate.’
You can catch Good Morning Britain weekdays on ITV at 6am.
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